Anchorage for river control apparatus



Oct. 26, 1937. G. w. REHFELD ANCHORAGE FOR RIVER CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, L936 "2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOiQNEY Get. 26, 1937. G w REHFELD ANCHORAGE FOR RIVER CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNETED STATES ANCHORAGE FOR RIVER CONTROL APPARATUS George William Rehfeld, Manhattan, Kans.

Application August 10,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for preventing erosion and for controlling the courses of rivers, and more particularly to an anchorage for such apparatus. Jetties, revetments, mats and 5 the like, have heretofore been interconnected and anchored by means of strand cables but such cables have proved ineffective for the reason that the small individual strands are readily attacked by the corrosive action of various chemicals contained in the streams, and soils with which they come in contact, with the result that the cables soon give way, causing loss of the control apparatus. Another disadvantage is that the individual strands are readily abraded and when a surficient number of the strands have parted, the load acting on the remaining strands, causes the cable to pull apart. The cables are also expensive and difiicult to handle, particularly when it becomes necessary to thread them through the control at s:

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an anchorage which is more resistant to abrasion, to the corrosive action of the chemicals and to the torsional strains imparted incidental to constant pull acting thereon by the current. 7

Other important objects of the present invention are to provide an anchorage of low initial cost, and inexpensive to install, which is more 30 readily connectible with the control apparatus, and which is more capable of withstanding ice floes and heavy driftwood.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an anchorage which affords a better support for the control apparatus.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawingawherein: V

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a jetty unit equipped with, an anchorage embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is, a vertical cross-section through the unit particularly illustrating connection of the anchorage. v

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the jetty particularly illustrating the interlaced connection of the anchorage rods.

50 Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2,

showing the anchorage rods in plan.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View illustrating attachment of my improved anchorage to another form of jetty construction. p

Figs. 6 and? are perspective views illustrating 1936, Serial No. 95,110

application of my improved anchorages toother forms of jetty structures.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

While my invention is particularly applicable to any form of river control apparatus, I have 5 illustrated it in Fig. 1 in association with a jetty unit constructed of ordinary automobile chassis frames 2, 3., i, 5, 6, l, 8, 9 and i0, each including spaced longitudinal'sills H and I2, and spaced cross pieces l3, l4, l5 and 16 secured by the flanges ll, l8, l9 and 2B of the side sills, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

In building an individual jetty unit of this type the frames 2 to ID inclusive are placed in adjacent and crossed relation to each other to form a series of Xs, the side sills H and [2 of the frames 3, 5, l and 9 being secured tothe adjacent side sills of the frames 2, l, 8 and i0 respectively,lby bolts 2! extending through aligning holes therein. The angularly extending portions of the frame form legs 22 and 23 which are of substantially equal length by which the jetty is supported on the river bed.

In order to brace the frames they are preferably interconnected by laces 24 consisting of wires or rods secured to the outwardly extending legs of the frames and connected therewith in such a manner that the frames are retained in fixed cross relation with each other, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The construction thus far described presents a self-supporting jetty unit subject to be overturned by the river current and which will still retain its strength and stability in various positions that it may assume incidental to the bufieting effects of the current. It is, therefore, necessary to provide an anchorage which not only overcomes the disadvantages of the present stranded cables but which provides sufficient flexibility to allow freedom of movement necessary. 40

In carrying out the present invention, I find that a most satisfactory anchorage is constructed of rods or bars as they have sufficient rigidity to provide ample support for the jetties and are capable of sufficient flexure to allow for freedom of movement of the jetty units. The rods or bars, being of solid construction, present less surface tothe corrosive action of the chemicals contained in the stream and soil with which they may come in contact. They also withstand the abrasive action when they cross relatively sharp edges of the jetty members. The rods are also more readily threaded through the jetty unit because they have sufficient rigidity to be self-supporting while being guided into anchoring relation with the jetty units.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1 the anchorage consists of a string of interconnected rods or bars 25 looped around a dead man 26 that is buried in the river bank 21 and extending around the crossing points of the frames composing the jetty unit for connection by suitable clamps 28. In applying the anchorage, a rod section 29 is looped around the-dead man, as at 30, and the ends 3| and 32 thereof'project over the bank to connect the other rod sections, as now to be described.

After installation of the looped rods, another rod is attached by a suitable clamp 33 to the end 3| thereof and passed between the side sills of the frame l0, over one side of the crossing points of r the next adjacent frame 9, through'the space between the side sills of the frame 9 and across the opposite side of the crossing point of the frames 8 and 9, then through the space between the side sills of the frame 8 and so on until the end of the rod is reached, whereupon another rod is attached to the first by a suitable clamp 34 and threaded in like manner through the remaining frames composing the jetty unit. When the endmost frame 2 is reached, the rod is bent retractively over the side sill H thereof and the rod is threaded reversely through the frames in like manner until the end thereof is reached, whereupon another rod section is connected therewith by a clamp 35 and threaded through the remaining frames, after which it is connected to the end 32 of the looped rod by a clamp 36.

The clamped joints are preferably arranged in staggered relation, that is, so that a joint in one line of the rods does not align with a joint in the other line of rods. After threading the rods through the frame the crossing points thereof are preferably secured together by the U-clamps 28 which have threaded shank portions 31 projecting over the rods and retained by a clamping plate 38, as in conventional practice,

When the rods are thus installed they have sufficient rigidity to adequately support the jetty unit but they are sufiiciently flexible to permit turning of the jetty incidental to the action of the currents, and thereby allow the necessary freedom of movement. The rods, being of solid construction, are less subject to corrosive action of chemicals contained in the 'waterand are not subject to breakage by abrasion where they pass over the sharp edges of the jetty frames.

While I have illustrated the bars as being of round cross-section, they may be of various shapes and either of smooth or deformed character.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated a different type of jetty unit which is of triangular shape and consists of a plurality of units interconnected by the anchoring rods. In this form each unit consists of a horizontal frame 38 similar to those in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 1, and a pair of inclined frames 40 and 4| having one of their respective ends attached to the opposite ends of the frame 40 by suitable ties 42 and 43, and their opposite ends connected together by ties 44 to form a triangularjetty unit. The jetty units thus described are preferably spaced apart, as indicated at 45, and retained in spaced relation by the anchoring rods, as now to be described.

The anchorage in this form includes pairs of interengaged rods 46-41, 4849 and 50-5! connested with the respective corners of the units. The rods of each pair are interwoven between the respective frames and are clamped together intermediate the jetty units by clamps 52, otherwise the construction is susbtantially the same as that illustrated in the first form. In this form the jetty units, including the anchoring rods, may be covered with a matting 53 having an apron portion 54 retained by weights 55.

Fig. 7 shows a further application of the anchorage to another form of jetty unit wherein three open frames 56, 51 and 58 are used and in which the frame 56 is tied in cross relation with the frame 51. The other frame 58 is then secured to both sills of the frame 51 and to the adjacent sill of the frame 58 by ties 59 to form a substantially cross-shaped structure. The anchoring rods 5!! and iii extend in interwoven formation through the frame and are connected by a clamp 62.

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of construction employing one anchoring rod 63 to which is connected a loop 64 engaged with the jetty and secured to the .rod 63 by a clamp 65. This form of jetty includes three frames 66, 61 and 68, the frame 66 being inserted through the frame 61 and connected by bolts 69 passing through the side sills at the crossing points. The third frame 68 is placed transversely within the angle of the cross frames and secured by suitable ties 10.

While I have particularly described the invention as being associated with jetties, it is obvious that the rods may be used for anchoring mat revetments and other types of river control apparatus, and I do not wish to be limited to their application to specific types of jetties or river controls illustrated.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that I have provided an anchorage wherein the control units are securely connected together and supported from the bank.

When heavy rock is used in revetment work, placement of the rock does not damage rods of the type described, as it does in the case of conventional cable anchorages now employed.

The breaking strains of the rods are also far above the breaking strains of correspondingly sized stranded cables used in river control work.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage including a bar solid in crosssection, means securing the bar to a river bank, and means on the bar for connecting the bar with the control apparatus.

2. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage including a rod solid in crosssection, a. loop engaging a part of the control apparatus, and means clamping the loop on the rod.

3. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage including lines of rods solid in cross-section and extending through the control apparatus, and clamps for connecting the lines of rods at selected points along their length to retain the control apparatus .in fixed relation with the rods.

4. In combination with a jetty having rod engaging portions, an anchorage for the jetty including rods engaging opposite sides of said rod engaging portions, and clamps connecting the rods at points intermediate the rod engaging portions.

5. In combination with a jetty having spaced rod engaging portions, an anchorage for the jetty including rods interwoven between alternate engaging portions, and clamps connecting the rods at points intermediate the rod engaging portions.

6. In combination with a series of river control devices having rod engaging portions, an anchorage including lines of rods extending through the control devices on opposite sides of said engaging portions, and means for connecting the lines of rods at selected points along their length to retain the control devices in fixed relation with the rods.

7. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage including a line of interconnected rods, means securing an end of the line to a river bank, and clamps on the line for connecting the line with a control apparatus.

8. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage including a line of rods solid in cross-section, a loop engaging a portion of the control apparatus, means clamping the loop on the line of rods, means for securing an end of the line of rods to a river bank, and means connecting said rods.

9. In combination with river control devices and an anchor adapted to be buried in a bank, a rod section looped around said anchor at a point intermediate its length, rod sections connected with the ends of the looped rod section, and means connecting the last named rod sections with the control devices.

10. In combination with river control devices and an anchor adapted to be buried in a bank,

a rod section looped around said anchor at a point intermediate its length, rod sections connected with the ends of the looped rod section and threaded through said control devices, and clamps connecting the last named rod sections intermediate the control devices.

11. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage for securing said apparatus to a river bank including means suitably fixed to said bank, a rod looped about said fixed means and having its ends projecting therefrom, rods interwoven relative to said control apparatus, one of said rods being looped about the end of said control apparatus farthest from said river bank, and means for connecting said rods.

12. In combination with a river control apparatus, an anchorage for securing said apparatus to a river bank including means suitably fixed to said bank, a rod looped about said fixed means and having its ends projecting therefrom, rods interwoven relative to said control apparatus, one of said rods being looped about the end of said control apparatus farthest from said river bank, and means for connecting said rods, said connecting means being spaced in staggered relation throughout the length of said connected rods.

GEORGE WILLIAM REHFELD. 

